A month ago it was confirmed that 28-year-old McGregor had reached a deal with UFC president Dana White, with the purse for the MMA fighter believed to be $75m (£58m). After that, it was up to Mayweather to agree a figure to come out of retirement – it was estimated that this would end up at around $100m (£77m), in line with the amount he earned for beating Manny Pacquiao in his 48th bout back in 2015.

Mayweather appeared at the Grand for the final 12 bouts of his pre-retirement career, so he will feel very much at home – it also confirms the suspicion that he is calling all the shots, and controlling everything precisely as he did throughout his previous bouts.

McGregor remains the huge outsider, having never boxed professionally – he also hasn’t fought in any capacity since winning the UFC lightweight title last November, although Mayweather hasn’t been in the ring since his 49th win against Andre Berto in September 2015.

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Dave Fawbert

ShortList.com staff writer Dave’s primary passions are pop, prose, punning and power ballads (and alliteration). A lower division football enthusiast and long-suffering cricket fan, he is one of only 110 people followed on Twitter by Chas Hodges from Chas ‘n’ Dave. Follow Dave on Twitter like Chas: @davefawbert